There is the general belief, particularly in African literary world, that written literature cannot exist without borrowing some aspects from oral literature. Many critics of literature in the western world, in stark contrast to their own view, have therefore filed this great assumption among other baseless assumptions that are seen as impalpable to sense. However, as far as African literature is concerned, literature must reflect the culture and tradition of its society. In one of his books, Eshete Gemeda argues that"in order to treat African indegenious literature in its own right, our main focus of attention should be on the established cultural traditions and historical experiences, together with those aspects of the social and political life of the Africans which are the most helpful sources of our inspiration and techniques ". This paper therefore carefully examine the elements of oral literature in the written literary piece of Bosede Ademilua-Afolayan tittled "ONCE UPON AN ELEPHANT". Oral literary elements in written literature includes the use of folktales, proverbs, incantations, festivals, rituals among others.
ELEMENT OF ORAL LITERATURE IN
"ONCE UPON AN ELEPHANT"
RITES OF PASSAGE
The opening of the dramatic text (Event 1) evokes an atmosphere where a rite of passage is being performed in the mind of the reader. "Metallic clinking of gong"(pg 13) is an evidence of oral literature. In a typical African society," metallic gong" is used at times for sound effect. We know a rite of passage is going on as we can read that Ajanaku is sitting on a stool, bare-chested and two elderly men are standing by his sides. Rites of passage is a ritual performed to mark important transitional periods in a person's life. We later know that the rites performed is meant to transform an ordinary Ajanaku into an immortal human being.(page 13-14).
A rites of passage is also performed almost at the end of the play during "Jobele" festival and a time of ascension into immortality for Ajanaku (page 78). The ritual is performed to snatch "Desola's life back from the tyrant Ajanaku". The process of the ritual goes thus, "A lone voice chants a very powerful dirge. Desola walks in slowly. She is naked except for a short pant and a girdle that covers her bossom, Demoke and Yosola are all dressed in white with girdles round their waists. Desola suddenly lurches forward and embraces Ajanaku. They both stagger. Desola pulls back but holds on to the neck of his white apparel, and tears into shreds. She staggers and falls face down on the throne. Odekunle quickly opens the calabash, brings out a red cloth sewn with the gourds and charms, rums to Ajanaku and places it round his neck. Ajanaku screams as odekunle steps away. Ajanaku dies"(page 78-79).
The atmosphere of event 3 depicts a typical African setting during coronation ceremony. Drumming, Singing and Dancing in the public are all forms of oral literature.
FOLKTALES
Folktales are stories in oral tradition shared by a particular group of people. It encompasses the tradition common to that culture. It includes oral traditions such as tales, riddles, and jokes. Iya Agba uses folktale to explain reality to Ajanaku in event 5. She explains that "Ajanaku can only fool himself when he claim to have done the impossible " by telling a tale which goes thus, "the leper said two things, one of which is a lie; he said after he had struck his child with his palm, he also pinched him severely with his fingernails"(page 34).
Also in event 7, Ogundele tells a tale to correct Odejimi of his hatred to Ajanaku. The tale goes thus, 'they asked the bird Awoko,"Did you insult the King?" Awoke replied "when would I have time to insult the king, given the task of singing two hundred songs in the morning; two hundred in the afternoon and two hundred at night?"(page 48).
USE OF PROVERBS
Proverbs are simple traditional sayings that express a truth, based on common sense or experience. African literature is branded with the use or proverbs to elevate the African culture. Some of the proverbs used in the text are cited below.
Odejimi uses a proverb to speak against falsehood and treachery. The proverb goes thus;
"it is falsehood that earns a gash on the head "(event 1,pg 18).
Iyale also uses proverb to explain the carelessness of the people about things that happen in the society. The proverbs are;
"Nobody tells the blind that fire is burning"
"when fire burns the dog, it will also burn the hunter holding the rope attached to the neck of the dog if the hunter is foolish enough to hold on the rope as the dog burns".(event 4, page 29).
Iya Agba also says some proverbs and here are they;
"they deceive themselves greatly, whoever collects rain water from a sieve".(pg. 34)
"the lizard may resemble a crocodile, but they are certainly different"(pg. 40).
"the nose cannot become so big that it takes speech out of the mouth"(pg. 40).
Dele also says a proverb in event 9 and it goes thus;
"the snake that travels alone gets killed by the farmer".(pg. 52).
Iya Agba in event 12;
"that the calabash faces downward is no antisocial behaviour; the calabash is only acting according to its nature"(pg. 68).
Iyale in event 13;
"as the sky does not grow grass, so the soul of the graveyard does not afford the dead an opportunity to read trails"(page 71).
IN CONCLUSION
The use of oral literary elements in written form of African literature contributes to the aesthetic of the piece. In one of his books, Eshete Gemeda clearly states that "the aim of exploring oral literature in a contemporary setting is to transform it from abstract narrative to expressive form (intellectual discourse); and in this respect, it seems hard to make a distinction between the intriguing nature of oral art and modern art". African literature must also reflect African tradition and culture for historical reasons.
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